Safety-valve for pneumatic tires.



\ H. J. RUGGLES.

SAFETY VALVE POB. PNEUMATIG TIRES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 6. 1912.

Patented 0ct. 20,1914

HAnvEY .'r. BUGGILES, or Jackson, MICHIGAN.4

SAFETY-VALVE FOR PNEUMATIC TIRES.

Specification. of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

Application led August 6, 1912. Serial No. 713 ,567.

To all 'whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARVEY J. RUGGLES,

a citizen of the United States residing at Jackson, in tlie county of Jackson and State of'Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Valves for Pneumatic Tires; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to safety valves fonpneumatic tires, and has for its object to provide an improved construction of combined safety valve and which will prevent explosion of the tire from' excessive air pressure, which will exclude ldust from the Working parts of the valves, and which embodies other improvements hereinafter described.

The 'invention will be first hereinafter more particularly described with referenceto theaccompanying drawings, which are to| be taken-'as a part of this specification, and then 'pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side eleva tion of one of my improved valves attached to the rim of a wheel and secured to a pneumatic tire, said rim and tire being shownI in section; Flg. 2 1s a central vertical sec tieni-through the valve, rim and tire; Fig. 3 is a detailv perspective view of the tireclamping washer and a portion of the valve stem; Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the combined safety valve and check valve, the latter being shown removed from the former; Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view.

through parts of the check valve, safety valve and valve case to more clearly illus trate how the check valve is secured within the safety valve; Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2, illustrating the longitudinal grooves in the`bore of the valve case for permitting the escape of air when the safety valve s opened; and Fig. 7 is a broken central longitudinal setion of the upper part of the valve stem, showing how the check valve may be iitted therein and the safety valve dispensed with, if desired. y

Referring to the drawings by letters lof reference, A denotes the valve stem-which is provided on its inner end with a flange A having an annular groove a formed 1n its surface. A portion A2 of the valve stem check valve,

adjacent the flange is made larger in diameter' than the remainder of 'said stem and has flattened sides a which are engaged by corresponding straight inner edges b of a washer B which is provided with a pro- ]ecting annular rib b registering with the groove a in the flange A. A nut C is screwed upon the portion A2 of the valve stem and engages the washer for clamping the inflatable tube or tire D between said washer and the {iange A: In this clamping action, the rib b forces a portion of the tire into the groove a in the fiange, thereby effecting a very secure and air tight joint between the .valve stem and tire.

The greater portion of the valve stem A is made smaller' in diameter than the part A2, so that the threads need not be interrupted throughout the length of the stem,

but simply on the part adjacent the flange where it is necessary to have flattened portions to prevent the Washer from turning. The valve stem'is formed with a passage a2 extending throughout its length, and at the 'outer end of said stem a valve seat a3 is formed around said passage. rlhe safety valve E has its lower end ground to tit said valveseat, and is also formed with a shoulder 'e against which 'abuts one end of a helica'l spring F fitted around said safet valve.

A valve case Gr incloses the valve an springl vI1? l'and screwsupon the end of the valve stem A. The upper end portion X of said valve case iits closely around the safety valve, forming a Working chambertherefor, and also provides a shoulder serving as an abutment vfor the upper end of the spring F. The tension of said' spring may be varied by adjusting the valve case upon the valve stem, and for this purpose the external surface of said case vmay be hexagonal in alsl cross section, as shown, or otherwise formed for engagement by a wrench.

An. expanding nut is mounted on the valve stem between ythe valve lcase G andthe enlarged portion A2 of said stem. This expanding nut is made in two parts, one of which is adapted to telescope within the other. One of said parts H serves as a lock nut against the valve' case, while the other part I-I is designed `for clamping upon the inner surface of the wheel rim K. i n annular groove h is formed in the bore of the outer part of the expanding nut, and contains a gasket h. of rubber or other suitable material, which hugs the inner part of 4 "from 'entering between the two parts. As

`. illustrated, when the valve is in position, the

expanding nut lcompletely covers ,the portion of the valve stem between the wheel rim and valve case.

A check valve L, of known construction, is fitted within' the safety valve, which is centrally bored throughout to receive it, and to permit air to be forced through the same into the tire via the passage a2 1n the valve stem. To iniate the tire, the nozzle of a pump is attached to the outer end of the safety valve in the saine manner as it is usually attach-ed to the valve stem. The outer end of said safety valve casing is externally threaded to receive a cap Nwhich is perforated as at n (Fig. 2) and provided with a sponge l), or the like, covering said perforations for the purpose of excluding dust. The upper portion of said valve case isfurther provided with longitudinal grooves g in its bore, as illustrated in Fig. 6, whereby the interior or chambered portion of said valve case is placed in communication with the interior of the cap when the la-tter is in pl e.

In operati'n, if the air pressure within i the tire -exceeds the pressure exerted by the spring F, the safety valve Will be automatically raised from its seat allowing the excess of air to escape from the tire via the passage a2 in the stem, vthe chambered portion of the valve case, the grooves g in the bore of its upper end, and the perforations n in the cap N. It will be understood, of course, that this excess air percolates through the sponge P in order to reach the perforations n.

The outer portion of the bore or passagey of the valve stem is preferably prepared te receive the check valve, as shown, in Figs. 2 and 7 so that in case it becomes necessary or desirable the safety valve may be dispensed with and the device used as an ordinary check valve. When this is done, the plug M is screwed into the end of the valve stem so as to cover the seat a3 for the safety valve, as illustrated in Fig. 7.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. The combination with a valve stem having a passage therethrough with a valve seat at its outer end; a case mounted on the stem and constructed with a reduced por' tion providing a valve working chamber,

Vand forming an abutment; a safety valve closely fitting and working within said chamber; said reduced casing portion having lgrooves formed adjacent the valve roviding air passages; a spring surroun ing said valve and having its respective ends .engaging with the valve and said abutment and normally holding the valve seated under tension; a check valve mounted on said safety valve; and a second case mounted on the first case and provided with openings .forming air passages.

2. The combination with a valve stein having a longitudinal passage with a valve seat at its outer end, a spring-pressed safety valve normally engaging said valve seat, a valve case housing said valve and adjustable on the valvestem for tensioning the spring, and an expanding nut mounted on the stem and comprising telescoping parts, one adapted to lock said valve case,and the other part adapt-ed to clamp against the rim of a wheel.

3. The combination with a valve stein having a longitudinal passage with a valve seat at its outer end, a spring-pressed safetyvalve normally engaging said valve seat, a valve case housing said valve and adjustable on the valve stem for tensioning the spring, and an expanding nut mounted on the stem andcomprising telescoping parts, one

I adapted to lock said valve case, and the other part adapted -to clamp against the rim of a Wheel, said expanding nut completely covering the portion of the stem extending between the case and rim.

4. The combina-tion with a valve stem having a longitudinal passage with a valve seat at its outer end, a spring-pressed safety valve normally engaging said valve seat, a valve case housing said valve and adjustable on the valve stem for tensioning the spring, an expanding nut mounted on the stem and comprising telescoping parts, one adapted to lock said valve case, and the other part adapted to clamp against the rim of a Wheel, the outer part of said nut having an annular groove in its bore, and a gasket in said groove hugging the inner part of the nut for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARVEY J. RUGGLES.

Witnesses:

GEORGE H. CURTIS, FRED FULLERTON. 

